Fire-extinguisher.



No. 829,629. PATENTED AUG/28, 1906. T. OOOHRANE.

FIRE EXTINGUISHER.

APPLIGATION'FILED NOV. 6, 1905.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

PATENTED AUG. 28, 1906.

T. COCHRANE. FIRE EXTINGUISHER.

APPLICATION FILED Home, 1905.

broken for THOMAS OOOHRA-NE, OF BUFFALO, NEW YORK.

FIRE-EXTINGUISHER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 28, 1906.

Application filed November 6, 1905. Serial No. 285,995.

To all who/2t it 77241; concern.-

Be it known that I, THOMAS COOHRANE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Buffalo, in the county of Erie and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Fire-Extinguishers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates more particularly to that class of lire-extinguishers comprising a tank receiver adapted to contain an alkaline solution and a bottle or similar fragile receptacle conta' ling acid and adapted to be mixing the ingredients and generating the necessary pressure to expel the contents of the extinguisher.

One of the objects of my invention is to improve the device for crushing the acidre ceptacle, with a view of simplifying its construction andrendering it reliable in action and easy of operation.

Further objects are to facilitate the insertion of the acid-receptacle in its cage and its removal therefrom and to prevent the broken glass of the same from falling into the tank.

In the accompanying drawings, consisting of two sheets, Figure 1 is a sectional side elevation of an automobile cart embodying the improved fire-extinguisher. Fig. 2 is a section al elevation, 11 an enlarged scale, of the chamber of the tank containing the acid-receptacle. Fig. 3 is a similar view at right angles to Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a horizontal section in line 4 4, Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 2, showing a modified construction of the means for operating the crushingplunger.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views.

When. the improvement is used in connection with a hosecart, as shown in the drawings, two of the extinguishers are preferably arranged horizontally side by side under the reel A.

B indicates the tank of one of the extinguishers, the same preferably containing stirrers I), mounted on a longitudinal shaft 6, provided on the outer side of the tank with a hand-crank, as shown.

C is the valved discharge-pipe of the tank connected with the hose D, d the pipe for discharging any residue in the tank, and (Z a drain-cock, to which a hose may be attached for flushing the tank when necessary.

E indicates a dome or chamber mounted upon the tank and. opening at its lower end into the same, while its upper end is closed by a screw-cap E, having handles 6.

F is the acid bottle or receptacle arranged in the chamber E and carried by a cage or skeleton holder G, which is suspended from the cap E. The cage shot n in the drawings consists of vertical bars f, suitably spaced, and horizontal bands f connecting the same at their lower ends and about midway of their length. The lower end of the cage is closed by a removable bottom plate or strip f upon which the acid-receptacle rests.

acid-receptacle when the extinguisher is to be used. It is preferably of inverted-U form and fitted between opposin bars f of the cage, the plunger being guided and held from turnin by pins 7t, secured to its side bars and passing through vertical slots formed in the contiguous bars of the cage. To the crossbar at the upper end of the plunger is ri idly secured an operating rod or spindle I, which in the construction shown in Figs. 1 to 4 consists of a rotary screw engaging with ascrewthreaded opening of the cap E passing through a stufling-box h on the latter. At its projecting upper end the spindle is provided with a hand-crank kg for turning it.

The side bars of the plunger H are resilient, and their lower portions are adapted to ride over cam-faces or inclines on the adjacent inner sides of the cage when the plunger is lowered by the means of its screw-spindle. The inclines thus force the lower ends of said side bars inwardly against the acid-receptacle, causing them to crush it and allowing the acid to drop into the alkaline solution in the tank B. To facilitate puncturing or crushing the receptacle, the side bars of the plunger are pointed at their lower ends, as shown, and in order to render their action more effective they are beveled on the rear or outer sides. The cams or inclinesj preferably consist of inward ollsets, which are formed by contracting the lower portion of the cage, as shown in Fig. 2.

Other means may be employed for operating the plunger, if desired. For example, as shown in Fig. 5, a smooth rod I, secured at its lower end to the plunger and. sliding in a central opening of the cap E, may be substituted for the screw-spindle I of the construction first described. tion when the extinguisher is to be used the red I is driven inwardly by a suitable implement. Th s modification is more suitable when the invention is embodied in portable extinguisherssuch as are used in schools, factories, dwellings, and other buildings-in which case the headed end of the rod is rammed against a wall for crushing the acid receptacle. A packingvasher I may be applied to the rod between the upper end of the plunger and the under side of the cap E to form a tight joint at the lower end of the opening in the cap when the generated pressure in the tank forces the plunger upward and causes the washer to seat against the cap.

In order to prevent the broken glass from falling into the tank B, the cage G is inclosed by a strainer or basket K of wire-cloth or perforated metal. This basket is carried by a skeleton wire frame 75, provided at its upper end with eyes or projectionslc, which rest upon a shoulder Z, formed in the wall of the chamber E near its upper end, whereby the basket is removably supported. within said chamber. Upon removing the screw-cap E with the attached cage G the basket can be withdrawn from the chamber E for emptying the broken glass.

I claim as my invention 1. In a fire-extinguisher, the combination of a tank, a cage for an acid-receptacle arranged therein and provided with a cam or incline, and a plunger having a movable member arranged to engage said incline and adapted to crush the acid-receptacle, sub- I stantially as set forth.

In this construc- 1 other, and a plunger guided in the cage and having elastic side bars adapted to ride over said inclines at their lower ends for crushing the acidreccptacle, substantially as set forth.

4. In a fire-extinguisher, the combination of a tank, a cage for an acid-receptacle having its lower or inner portion contracted to form an inward offset, and a plunger having an elastic member adapted to ride over said offset for crushing the acid-receptacle, substantially as set forth.

5. In afire-extinguisher the combination of a tank, a cage for an acid-receptacle arranged therem and having slotted side bars provided on their inner sides with inclines, and a plunger of inverted-U form arranged in the cage and having guide-pins which engage the slots of said side bars, the side bars of the plunger being yielding and their lower ends being arranged to ride over said inclines when the plunger is advanced, and means for operating the plunger, substantially as set forth.

6. In a fire-extinguisher, the combination of a tank, a cage for an acid-receptacle suspended therein and having an open bottom through which the receptacle is inserted and removed, the cage being provided at opposite sides of its lower portion with pins or projections, and 'a removable bottom plate having upturned spring-tongues interlocking with said pins, substantially as set forth.

7. In a 'fire extinguisher, the combination of a tank having an opening closed by a removable cap, a skeleton cage or holder for an acid-receptacle suspended from said cap, means for breaking said receptacle, and a removable perforated basket inclosing the cage and supported on the tank independently of the cage and said cap, substantially as set forth.

8. In a fire-extinguisher, the combination of a tank having an opening closed by a screw-cap and a shoulder arranged below the cap, a skeleton cage for an acid-receptacle suspended from said cap, a crushing-plunger arranged in the cage, and a removable basket inclosing the cage and provided with a projection resting upon said shoulder, substan tially as set forth.

Witness my hand this 2d day of Novem ber, 1905.

THOMAS COCI-I BANE.

Witnesses C. F. GEYER, E. M. GRAHAM. 

